Automobile lock



Oct. 23, 19-23.

- J. J. LANE ET AL AUTOMOBILE LOCK 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Sent. 22 191.9

Oct. 23, 1923. v 1,471,742

- J. J. LANE ET AL v AUTOMOBILE LOCK Filed Sent. 22, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet z V Patented iQct. 1923. r

ly stolen.

; 11,421.74; PAr NrQoFFIceQf.

JOHN J. LANE AND JULES GROAT, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA;

AUTOMOBILE LooK.

V 7 Application filed September 22, 1919. I Serial No. 325,423.

T 0 dZZ whom it may concern: I Be it known that we, JOHN J. LANnand JULEs H. GRoA'r, citizens of the -United States, residing at St. Paul, in thecounty of Ramsey and State of Minnesota,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automobile Locks, of which the following is a specification.

Our. invention relates to an automobile lock which is particularly adapted to operate in connect-ion with the transmission of an automobile so as to engage and lock the operating parts against rotation and thus lock the automobile so that it cannot be easi- It is an important feature of our inven tion to provide a simple and inexpensive locking means, and in the drawings we have illustrated our lock; in connection with' an ordinary Well known transmission, our lock being attached to the transmission i cover plate in a suitable manner. The locking mechanism can be varied to suit the particular transmission so as to carry outthe principles of our invention. V a

The invention further provides means for lockin the transmission cover late against removal simultaneous with the looking of the automobile transmission and while the lock is so designed that it will be practically unnoticeable to the ordinary observer, should the lock be discovered by a thief he will find when he comes to try to remove the transmission cover plate that he is unable to do so unless he is able to unlock the lock.

In the drawings forming part of our specification Figure 1 is a side elevation of a well known transmission, a'portion of the housing being broken away and partly illustrat-- ed in cross section, alsofillustrating'tlie posi-I tion of a portion of thefloor board above the transmission. 7 c 1 i Figure 2 is a bottom view "otour locking mechanism and thetransmission'cover plate j to which itis attached. p Figure 3 illustrates a side elevation of the transmission cover plate showing an alternative formot our locking mechanism.

Figure 4 isa bottom view of the locking mechanism and transmission cover plate illustrated in Figure 3, a portion ofthe mechanism being broken away and partly illustrated in cross section. V y

Figure 5 is a side elevation ofthe trans mission cover plate, showing a lockingmechanism having similar functions to thatillustrated in Figure 1, but of a dilferent form.

l The drawingsillustrate an.,automobile transmission A," of an v ordinary well known construction provided with a transmission housing, B, of any suitable material and to which our transmission cover plate, C,fwith its locking mechanism, E, is attached. The locking mechanism, E, is-quiokly and easily attached to the transmission, A, by removing the transmission cover plate, and attach ing our cover plate, C,which is of similar dimensions and shape as the cover plate used on the transmission, A. f

The cover plate, C, isformedwith anupwarolly projecting cylinder, 2, on its outer surface which is adapted to receive the revolving. plug, 3, as is usedin an ordinary cylinder lock. WVhen' the key 4, is inserted in the plug 3,the plug canbe rotatedgto operate the locking mechanism.

n An eccentric disk 5, is rigidly attached in any suitable manner to the plug ,3, and is adapted to be rotated with the plug when the keyv 4, is inserted in the lock.: it suitable eccentric strap 6, encircles. the eccentric 5, and is adapted to be operated'by thesame. The eccentric strap 6, isconnected by the eccentric rod 7, to the locking dog, 8. i

,fThe upper'end of the locking dog 8, is pivoted by the pint), to the cover C, and the free end 10, of the locking dog is adapted to be broughtinto or out of engages ment with the transmission clutch fingers I 11, by the eccentric rod 7 when the eccentric the clutchfingers 11, or between the same as illustrated inFig. 1. Thus mechanism E, is in position to preventthe rotation and operation ofthe transmission mechanism of the automobile in the ordinary manner.

The eccentric rod 7, extends freely through the slot 12, formed in thedog 8,and is provided with ashoulderj13, which engages against one side of the dog 8, while the coil spring '14, is secured in a suitable manner on the free end of the eccentric "rod 7, and normally holds the dog A, against the shoulder 13 This construction allows the spring 14:, to. be compressed if thetransmision, mechanism stops ata point where the'locking dog 8, would come in contact with the outensurface of one of the clutch fingers 11,instead of in position to engage theinechanisrn E, is unlocked by the key 4.

The eccentric strap 5, of the mechanism E, isatta-ched thereto in any suitable manner byits'locking tongue 15, which slides freely through the yoke or'guide 16, torined on the lower surface of the cover C, and

- when the mechanism E, is set inlocking to engage the housing B, at 19, to lock this end of the cover, C,against free disengageposition by thefkey 4, the tongue 15, is set into engagement with the inner surface of thefcasin'g or'cover B, at At the 0p posite end ofthe cover C, the locking tongue l5,'an outwardly projecting lip 18, is formed integral with the cover C, so as ment. 7 The cover C, is attached by means of the screws 20, tofthetransmission housin'g B, in the ordinary manner and the lip, 18, together with thej, locking tongue 15, are, adapted to lock thecover C, against disengagement from the housing B,'when the mechanism E, is set in locking position,

so that'the cover C, issimultaneously locked against disengagement from the housing B,

Vwli'en the locking dog 8, is set in looking position; V q V A shoulder, 21, 1s formed pI'OjBCtlIl from the inner portion of the cover C, which is approximately of the same dimensions as theop'ening the housing B,'whiclithe cover C, is adapted to close. Thus it is possible to slide'the comin any direction -when it is'in position on housing B, and

therefore, the lip lSfand locking tongue 15 will prevent it from belng removed even it the screws 20, were disengaged. The extreme simplicity of this construction pro sides a very desirable locking -mechanis'1'n,

especially for this construction of transmis sion.

In Figures 3'an'd an alternative construe tion of locking mechanism F, is illustrated attached to the cover CL In this construction the rotatable plug B, is attached to the eccentric disk 5, in the ordinary manner so that when the plug is rotated by the key which releases the same, the eccentric will also berotated.

An eccentric strap 22, encircles the 'eccentric 5, and is held in place by the shoulder 23, 'in the'ordinary manner. The eccentric strap 22, is bent to form. a projecting portion which forms a locking tongue 24:, with similar functions to the locking tongue 15. This cover C, is also formed with the locking lip 18, and by means of the lip 18 and the tongue 24, the cover is locked against removal, simultaneously with the setting of the mechanism F, in locking position. I

The eccentric strap 22, is pivotally connected by a suitable link 25, to the connecting or eccentric tea, 26, and one end of the connecting rod 26, is pivotally connected to the locking dog 28, which is of a similar construction as the locking'dogS, of Figure 1. The locking dog 28, is'pivoted by means ofa pin'29, to 'thecover C. I i

Figure 4: illustrates a bottom View or the construction illustrated in Figure Swiththc shoulder '23, removed, aportion of the cover being broken away. c

The mechanism F, is operated by a suit able key similar to the operation of the mechanism E, but in this construc' tionno resilientmeans is-proi' 'ided between the eccentric and the locking (log, and it is necer sary that the locking dog 28, cnter'betweeu the rotatable elements of the transmission, such as A, or any oth'en suitable construction, as the mechanism F, is'being set in locking position; 7 i

"It is obvious that the locking dogs 8 or 28, canbe operated to'engage-the gear teeth of any automobile transmission when the lock-ingmechani'sm, such as or 'F.'is suitable designed. Either o't the mechanisms illustrated in describing our invention are of very simple" and inexpensive construction, and the cylinder 2, of the lock projects through the foot board 30, as illustratedin Figure 1. In this manner the lock is practically invisible to the ordinary observer and cannot be easily detected.

'The construction illustrated in Figure 5 is similar in, function to that'illustrated in Figure l but is-simpler, having a sin'gle'picce locking bar 34, which extends along the inner surface of the plate C and is engaged by the head 35 to hold the same to the cylinder or revolving plug 3.01 the cylinder 2 and the' bar is formed with'a forward engaging end 36,"which extends through the loop 37"formed on the cover plate C. The engaging-end'36is similar in function to V the locking tongues 15 and 24L.v

The rear'end of the bar 34 is. bent downward to extend away from theinner'sur'face of the plate C, forming an engaging end 38, through which the 'bolttO i re'ely passes. The bolt 40 is pivotally connected to. the locking dog il, which'is similar to the locking dogs 8 and 28. A coil spring 452 is positioned about the rod 40, between the end 38and the pivotal engagement of the rod 4:0 with the locking dog 41. An adjusting nut 39 is attached tothe outer free end of the rod 40, against which theend 38 is adapted to engage. The spring A2 allowsthe locking mechanism to be operated to set it in look-- ing position even ifthe dog 41 is obstructed against moving into locking position by any of the parts of the transmission, but as soon as the parts of the transmission forming the obstruction are moved, the locking dog e1 will slip into place between the rotating parts, being forced in by the spring 42, and will thus Y lock the transmission against operation, thereby locking the car or vehicle to which the locking mechanism is attached. The plate C, illustrated in Figure 5, is also formed with a locking tongue on one end 18, which is formed integral with the plate. When the locking mechanism illustrated in l igure 5 is set in locking position, the forward end or tongue 36 of the bar 34 and the tongue 18 will hold the plate C against removal from the transmission housing.

In accordance with the patent statutes we have described the principles of operation of our invention, together with the apparatus which we now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but we desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the iI1".

vention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims: 7 V

1. A transmission lock in combination with a transmission cover plate, an eccentric, a cylinder lock connected! to operate said eccentric, a locking dog, means connecting said locking dog with said eccentric to cause said dog to be operated by said eccentric when said cylinder lock is operated to move the free end of said locking dog into or out of engagement with the clutch or gear set of said transmission. 1

2. An automobile lock in combination with a transmission, including a transmission cover plate, key locking means held in said cover plate, a locking dog adapted to be moved into the path of the clutch V or gear set of said transmission and eccentric means connected with. said key locking means, said locking means i being adaptedto operate said dog into or out of locking position. g

3. A lock'in comblnation with an automobile transmission, including a transmisison housing, a cylinder keylock secured to said cover, a locking dog pivoted to said cover, said dog adapted to engagethe clutch or gear set of the transmission, means connecting said key lock with said locking dog to set said dog in looking or unlockingposition when said key lock is operated, and

1 means connected with said key lock adapted to lock said cover against disengagement from said housing when said locklng dog is in locking pos tion. j

4. A look in combination with an antomobile transmission, a housing for said transmisslon, a removable cover plate adapted'to be connected withsaid housing, a lock- Y ingij dog pivoted to said cover; plate, key

same against, movement.

5.An automobile lock in combination with a transmission, having a gear set or clutch, .a cylinde lock, a locking dog, means connecting said locking dog with said cylinderlock to cause the free end of said dog to be swung into the path of the gear set or clutch of said transmission when said transmission is in operation to propel a vehicle and resilient means interposed in said connecting means to allow said lockingmechanism to be set in locking position when said locking dog is held out of locking position by an ob structing part in said transmission, said resilient means forcing said dog into locking position when the obstructing part in said transmission is moved out of the path of said locking dog- V 6. A look in combination with an auto transmission, including a housing for said transmission, a cover plate adapted to be removably held to said transmission, a cylinder lock'held by said cover plate, an ec-i centric connected to said cylinder lock and adapted to be operated thereby, an eccentric strap, a locking dog having one end pivoted in said cover plate, means connecting the free end of said dog with said eccentric strap, whereby said dog is operated when said cylinder lock is operated to set the same into locking position, the free end of said dog being adapted to engage said transmission to lock said transmission against operation to propel a car.

7. A look in combination with an auto transmission, including a removable cover plate for the transmission, housing, a key operated locking mechanism held by said plate, a locking dogpivoted on said plate,

the free end of said dog being adapted to be moved into thepath of an operating part of said transmission to lock the same, means connecting said dog with said; key lock to operate the same, and means projecting from said connecting means adapted to lock said plate to the transmlssion houslng against re- 'moval therefrom when said locking dog ispath of said transmission to block the same and thereby look-said transmission and vehicle to which it -is attached.

9. A lock-in :combination with an auto transmission including a removable cover plate for the transmission, a cylinder lock projectingfrom the 0utside surface of said cover Plate, a locking element projecting from at is inside surfaceof said coverrplate and means for connecting said locking .means 1 so as to operate both simultaneously, said locking means projecting from the inner portionv ofzsaid plate being adapted to engage said transmission to lock the same against rotation.

:JOHNJ. LANE. @JULES H.- GROAT. 

